2026 NEW WORKS FESTIVAL
Cincinnati Lab Theatre
July 16-25
Bell Tower Arts Pavilion [Evendale]
- Thu, July 16 at 7:30pm LITTLE BOXES (Staged)
Four interconnected vignettes exploring the boxes we find ourselves in, the ones we struggle to escape, the life-altering surprises some hold, and the enduring beauty of family, in all its forms. - Fri, July 17 at 7:30pm ENEMY OF THE GOOD (Staged)
A woman scientist is found guilty of committing unusually heinous crimes while testing a revolutionary kind of computer. To handle her appeal she hires a former attorney who hasn’t practiced in decades. Did she commit the crimes? Why did she hire that particular attorney? And does this new kind of computer hold the promise of a better future or a greater danger for mankind? - Sat, July 18 at 7:30pm WAITING FOR FAIR (Staged)
When Marisol reluctantly goes on a blind date with Troy and judges the sex to be “fair,” it sends out shock waves that affect the other couples (Natasha/Bo and Chase/Eli) in their circle of friends. As Troy continues his pursuit of her, the play skewers stereotypes of relationships, gender, sex, and classic movies. Will love (or life) be fair to any of them? - Sun, July 19 at 1pm SING FOR ME (Reading)
A Black singer-songwriter finally gets her big break, only to discover that her record label plans to replace her public image with an AI-generated white avatar. As she struggles to retain ownership of her voice, her art, and her identity, she must decide whether survival in a digital-first music industry is worth the cost of invisibility. - Sun, July 19 at 4pm MY DINNER WITH CARLY (Reading)
Dating is hard. But for Carly and Charlie it may just be the end of the dating era. Charlie meets Carly for dinner but discovers more about Carly (and himself) than he expected. - Sun, July 19 at 6pm S.A.G. (Reading)
In the attic of a haunted historic property, a Civil War soldier, a Victorian ingenue, and a rule-bound Depression era convict are joined by a freshly deceased Hollywood actress who has questions about the afterlife. When she proposes unionizing their eternal “employment,” the ghosts are forced to confront what they want, what they’ve lost, and whether their unfinished business can be finished. S.A.G. is a fast-paced comedy with heart about work, worth, and letting go. - Thu, July 23 at 7:30pm ENEMY OF THE GOOD (Staged)
A woman scientist is found guilty of committing unusually heinous crimes while testing a revolutionary kind of computer. To handle her appeal she hires a former attorney who hasn’t practiced in decades. Did she commit the crimes? Why did she hire that particular attorney? And does this new kind of computer hold the promise of a better future or a greater danger for mankind? - Fri, July 24 at 7:30pm WAITING FOR FAIR (Staged)
When Marisol reluctantly goes on a blind date with Troy and judges the sex to be “fair,” it sends out shock waves that affect the other couples (Natasha/Bo and Chase/Eli) in their circle of friends. As Troy continues his pursuit of her, the play skewers stereotypes of relationships, gender, sex, and classic movies. Will love (or life) be fair to any of them? - Sat, July 25 at 7:30pm LITTLE BOXES (Staged)
Four interconnected vignettes exploring the boxes we find ourselves in, the ones we struggle to escape, the life-altering surprises some hold, and the enduring beauty of family, in all its forms.
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 